From the streets of Kano to playing in Croatia – Meet 18-year-old Ammeer ‘Kaka’

The power of the sheer determination of the human mind cannot be underestimated, and for Ammeer Auwal Suleiman, it is no different, Soccernet.ng reports.

The 18-year-old, popularly referred to as ‘Kaka’, was born on the 10th of February, 2006 in the Tarauni area of Kano State, Nigeria.

Able to play across any position in midfield, the teenage prodigy was a part of the Ojodu City team that reached the semi-final of the Viareggio Cup in Italy. Remo Stars Youth Academy, Beyond Limits, won the competition.

Ammeer, like Ojodu City’s Hafiz Umar Ibrahim, and Yahya Subair, caught the eye of several scouts on their tour in Italy. In February, the midfielder joined second-tier Croatian side, NK Radoboj, alongside his teammate, Bruno Alekwe.

Journey to the top
Ammeer started playing football at a very young age. He feels he was born to play the beautiful game, but the journey to becoming professional was tumultuous. At the tender age of four, the midfielder lost his father, which plunged his family into financial struggles.

“My father died when I was four, and I was told I went to play football the next day. Obviously, I didn’t know how much it meant then, but as I got older, it hurts more. I just want to play football to help my family,” Ammeer told Soccernet.ng.

His mother remarried into a larger family, raising Ammeer’s number of siblings from one to ten. After a while, the family’s financial issues forced the former Ojodu City midfielder to make a difficult choice.

He had always get sent home from school because his parents could not afford to pay his fees. At 12, he decided to focus solely on football, and the decision didn’t go well with his parents.

“I left school because it seemed pointless. You cannot pay the fees and even if you do, at the end, there is no job. I’ve always dreamed of football, so I decided to do that, but I didn’t know the steps to take to become a professional or find a club,” he added.

Kaka in action for Ojodu City F.C. in Italy during the Viareggio Cup tournament.
“My parents didn’t want me to play football. One day I got back from training and there was no food. I asked around for food in the house, and they told me if I chose football, I should find my food by myself, but I kept working on myself, because I promised myself I’d use football to help my family.”

His story changed when a neighbour picked interest in him. The neighbour, Mr Habib Isah, bought him his first pair of football boots and decided to become his personal trainer.

“Thank God for him, he bought my football boots and other things I needed. He made it known to me that I needed to wok hard. If he called training to be 12pm, I’d be there by 11:30 and find out he was already waiting for me.”

Joining Ojodu City F.C
Ammeer played for several academies in Kano before heading down south. He cited that the lack of ambition from most of the academies made him leave.

“I played in some academies, but they just played football for fun, and to have a good time, but that was not what I wanted. I had other offers, but they just wanted me to play in the local leagues. I thought of it, but that was not what I wanted to do in the long run.”

He got invited for a trial in Ogun State, where he had the fuel to dream again. The coach of the team picked interest in him and that motivated the youngster to give his all to achieve his dream.

“He told me I didn’t have the height. We watched several videos of players with average height in the big leagues, and he told me their technicality set them apart. Then we began to train three times a day. It was not easy, but I knew I couldn’t go back home. I left home for a reason, and I wouldn’t go back till I achieved my dream. They kept calling me from home to come back,” the Kano-bred midfielder revealed

Kaka’s preparation and mental fortitude paid off when he got an offer from Ojodu City F.C. to play in the Viareggio Cup in Italy.

Ammeer at NK Radoboj

After a successful outing in Italy, Croatian second-tier side, NK Radoboj came in for Ammeer, and his heart leaped for joy. His sacrifices paid off and the joy on his mother’s face confirmed he made the right choice.

“When my parents had to sign, they were very happy, and I was happy too. I made a promise to use football to change my family and I’m glad I’ve started, there is still more to come.”

Kaka in a duel.
Kaka’s Style

Although he plays primarily as a box-to-box midfielder, Ammeer can play as a deep-lying midfielder and has a number ten. He claims he doesn’t model his game after just one player, but learns from everyone how to improve himself, drawing inspiration from several players.

He’s popularly called KAKA but his heart lies with another Brazilian superstar who lit up the English Premier League and won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich.

“I watch a lot of footballers. I don’t model my game after a particular person because I feel I can learn from everyone, but I really like Coutinho. His curlers are great to watch and I practice them a lot.”

Playing for Super Eagles and Barcelona

Ammeer is a big fan of Catalan giants and five-time UEFA Champions League winners, Barcelona. He dreams of playing and scoring a last-minute winner at the Camp Nou someday. He also revealed how proud he’d be if he got the opportunity to play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

“I’m a big Barcelona fan, and I once had a dream where I played for them. I woke up and told my grandmother it will happen. I want to play for the Super Eagles too. We have lots of gifted players, but as a team, we’ve not won much. I hope I can win some titles with Nigeria as a footballer,” the midfielder concluded.

As Kaka’s journey continues to unfold, it serves as a powerful reminder that with passion, perseverance, and unwavering belief, dreams can indeed become a reality.

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